SNEHA – Buldhana

Project Period: November, 2024 – October, 2027

Location: 25 villages of Mehkar block, Buldhana district, Maharashtra, India

Nutritional needs for women are distinct, particularly in relation to iron. As girls reach puberty and begin menstruating, their iron requirements increase, often beyond what a typical diet can provide. The demands for nutrients further escalate during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Women who suffer from malnutrition or anaemia before pregnancy are more likely to face complications, while insufficient nutrition in children can hinder both their physical growth and mental development. Girls, in particular, face additional challenges due to societal norms that favor boys, leading to a continuous cycle of poor nutrition and anaemia that affects them from birth throughout their lives.

According to NFHS-5 data, 67.1% of children aged 6-59 months in India are anaemic, with higher rates in Maharashtra (68.9%) and Buldhana (79.4%). Among pregnant women aged 15-49 years, 52.2% are anaemic, with rates in Maharashtra (45.7%).

Colostrum, the first milk produced after childbirth, is rich in lactoferrin, which regulates iron absorption in the body. However, only about 41.8% of children receive colostrum in the first hour of life. Additionally, in Maharashtra, 25.6% of children under five are wasted, 35.2% are stunted, and 36.1% are underweight, highlighting widespread malnutrition and its severe impact on child health and development.

Against this backdrop, CHETNA is implementing a project in the rural villages of Buldhana district, Maharashtra, to improve adolescent, maternal, and child nutrition and address anaemia. Our focus is on raising awareness and providing interventions to enhance the nutritional status of children and women across communities.

Objectives

• To reduce prevalence of nutritional anaemia among the adolescent girls and pregnant, lactating and new married women of Mehkar block of Buldhana district, Maharashtra.
• To create awareness about nutrition, health, hygiene and sanitation concerned to child, adolescents and women among community people.
• To reduce undernutrition among children up to 3 years

Activities:

• One-to-one counselling and group sessions on health, nutrition and anaemia
• Demonstration of nutritious food recipe
• Weight Monitoring of children
• Awareness/counselling of Family members especially male members
• Mass Awareness activities
• Training of Frontline workers

Expected Result

• Increase knowledge on preventive steps for anaemia in pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls by up to 25%.
• Reduce more than 20% of anaemia in adolescent girls and women.
• Increase knowledge about Antenatal care services during pregnancy and Early Initiation of breastfeeding in newborns by up to 25%.
• Increase the weight of undernourished children by up to 35%.

 Partner

HDB Financial Services Limited

Partner